Help Please?

[pinky]

okay, i just lost it and ate 3 huge slices of regular pizza at work. it started with picking the toppings off, then the cheese, then i just LOST it. does this happen to anyone else??? it also happened to me the other day when we had cupcakes at work-- couldn't resist the frosting, before i knew it was binging on the whole lot............

help?

[celiac-mommy]

Can you just repeat to yourself every time the temptations start: Cancer, Poison, Cancer, Poison, maybe this would help remind you what you're doing to your body when you cheat. Maybe keep a stash of goodies at work so when the poison comes in, you're prepared??!! Good luck!

[gfpaperdoll]

sorry, I cannot say that I ever cheat or feel like cheating. I think maybe you feel like you are deprived and of course when faced with something that you are deprived of you are going to go for it.

I have a different mind set. I think that I can have anything that I choose to have. I choose to not eat gluten or dairy. My choice because I know that the stuff is insideous and poisons me (& the rest of the population). The sight of pizza, donuts, etc at the office, I find very disgusting & feel sorry for the idiot fools that are stuffing that food down their, soon to be cancerous, throats. I have a total & complete aversion to anything gluten, which also tends to be less so towards the gluten free things, although I keep trying to eat them, they make me sick as a dog.

I much prefer my healthy state of being & the thought of enjoying a filet mignon (grass fed) wrapped in bacon & grilled to perfection with a wonderful salad & some grilled fresh corn on the cob & maybe a homemade sorbet for dessert. Or a shrimp cocktail or the perfect baked salmon...

Maybe you need to keep some treats for yourself at home & at the office. If you do not change your mindset, I am afraid that you will always be tempted to cheat.

[hez]

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I never cheat because I would get so sick. I am sick for a month just from cc. I can only imagine how horrible I would feel if I ate gluten. I am not sure I could leave the potty

That said I am sorry this keeps happening to you. I think the idea of having tempting treats at work might help ward off the temptation. For me I treat gluten as if it were poison. Remind myself how much better I feel. Remember that I need to be a good role model for my children. Find you motivation and stick to being gluten-free. It is no fun walking around feeling guilty, so don't bet yourself up too much.

Hez

[lovegrov]

Won't be any consolation to you, but it's NEVER happened to me. Although I take more calculated chances than I used to, I've never in nearly six years cheated in the way you've described (I took a sip of non-gluten-free beer one time).

richard

[NoGluGirl]

okay, i just lost it and ate 3 huge slices of regular pizza at work. it started with picking the toppings off, then the cheese, then i just LOST it. does this happen to anyone else??? it also happened to me the other day when we had cupcakes at work-- couldn't resist the frosting, before i knew it was binging on the whole lot............

help?

Dear pinky,

I get violently ill from even the most microscopic speck of gluten that you cannot even see. Cheating is not tempting at all. Like Hez and gfpaperdoll, I view it as poison. If you do not get such a bad reaction, it makes it easier to cheat. I suppose that is one reason I am lucky to have such a bad reaction. It is horribly unpleasant, but I am not tempted to damage my intestines for pizza. I have found some great stuff I can treat myself to. Take for instance, Wal-Mart's Great Value corn tortillas. You get 36 of them, and they are great for tacos, taquitos, tortilla chips, or pizza roll-ups! Dad found them. I took some Kraft Skim Mozzerella after I put a little Great Value Spaghetti Sauce, and then Hormel Pepperoni. It was great! I get my cake mixes from the Chocolate Emporium at www.choclat.com and there are some mainstream icings that are available, too.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Celiaction]

I'm guessing that's the last time you'll cheat. You've got a month of intestinal hell awaiting you. Just try to make the connection. Also, diminshing (better to quit cold turkey) your intake of easy starches will diminish your addiction to them almost overnight. You won't be tempted by the glycemic (sugar) drop in your blood to gorge on garbage. Sorry to sound harsh, but you need a slap to survive this.

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Yes, it is very hard to stop, when your body doesn't show any or much bad reactions to eating gluten. But it is still like poison for you and you shouldn't do it. Even if you would stop eating the entire thing at the icing or at the topping, you still get cross contamination. Because once it's baked / cooked, the stuff is everywhere. So it doesn't even help to only eat the toppings off. Better bring your own gluten-free treats, you can eat, whenever it hits you. And there's so much good stuff out there, where you don't even need to cook. For example, snickers is glutenfree. So everytime somebody would offer me a muffin or something baked, I would just pull out my snickers

[loco-ladi]

I missed my "regular" comfort food when I first started and would drop off the wagon, however for most of this year I have been 100% gluten-free I didnt change my diet so much as I changed my state of mind. Rather than binge on something I miss I spend hours looking for a great tasting gluten-free version... I am currently working on breads and crackers, even have friends helping me look! matter of fact just had a friend drop of a box she found in kansas city when she was there this week, now I gotta go to the store and get my pepperoni and cheese (so far no problem with dairy, yippie!)

My hubby once talked me into going to pizza hut to have lunch, he says, they have a salad bar you can have that, but the smell of the pizza drove me into a frenzy when I got home and found a couple different versions, have one left and thats on the menu for tonight!

this works for me, it may not work for everyone.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear pinky,

Keep in mind that even if you do not feel it, your poor villi do! Imagine those poor little things screaming in your intestines, as they are hit with particles of gluten! How sad is this? These poor, innocent beings are destroyed! There is good news! Gluten-free pinky can save them! I have gotten to the point I am actually scared to even look at or touch anything with gluten. I have trained my brain to fear it and view it as poison. Now I practically pass over all of the things I used to love that I cannot eat.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

P.S. Stef does what I do. I keep small 3 Musketeers Bars or Reese Cups around when I need something sweet. Deprivation is not in my vocabulary! I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that will knock your socks off! They taste just like Tollhouse Cookies, but are my own recipe. I also have a way of making them low in fat! There is nothing like a hot, chewy chocolate chip cookie from the oven!

[Acersma]

I have cheated and figured I would get my typical nauseau, the major Bloating, and after a few days would feel okay. NOT true. I have cheated 3 times on purpose. SO NOT WORTH IT. My symptoms get worse now. I get the dreaded D which turns into the dreaded C and I do throw up some and get terribley bloated. My mood changes and I start feeling down and get confused and even have problems remembering important things. ALL of this because I figured it wouldn't be so bad. Not true. I have started keeping treats in my desk, purse, and on car trips...even short ones. Good Luck to you.

Jody

[pedro]

Hi the only time I ingest gluten is accidental. Would you take poison? This is exactly what gluten in. I know a friend, he got out of the hospital several weeks ago. He went in because of contant watery stool. When the doctor made the investigation, it came out he has a very rare form of cancer in the small intestine. Do you want to kow why, because of so many years of neglecting the gluten free diet.

A rare form of lymphoma can come out, and the sad thing is, there not enough data to see how long the person can survive, the cancer or the treatments, because the cancer is very rare.

Please remind yourself your life is very important, you only have it once, don't eat poison (gluten) you only hearting yourself and your love ones.

Take care, and best regards to you.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Pedro,

That was very well put! There is definitely a connection to rare lymphomas and gluten. Many people did not know they had Celiac. They have lost many relatives to these diseases, and their siblings and others they lost likely had Celiac as well, and it caused their death. Unfortunately, nothing can bring back these people now. However, those of us who are fortunate enough to find out about this can be saved by following the gluten-free diet.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Eriella]

Dear pinky--

I get that it is hard! In a lot of ways, a celiac diagnosis plain sucks. I still can not look at or smell a pizza without tearing up because I want it so bad and no gluten free pizza tastes as good. I am in college and unfortunately get to watch all of my co-workers eat my favorite food while I eat plain, undressed, crouton-less salad. Now yes, I know it is poison. However, it is some of the best tasting poison known to man, and it is hard not to be tempted.

How I deal is:

1) never touch it. It is way too tempting to touch the food of the gods (fyi-- I am not mocking you in any way, pre-dx I would eat pizza at least 4 times a week).

2) try to avoid being in the same room as it. Now at staff parties and socials it is hard, but I at least make sure there is a good 10 ft between me and the pizza at all times.

3). I make sure that I am eating something tasty, granted it won't be as tasty as the pizza, but it will be better than rabbit food or being hungry.

4.) making sure that others have my back. My boyfriend will rarely eat gluten around me, and would never dream of touching brownies or pizza in my presence (although when I am out of sight he scarfs it down). Similarly, my co-worker always makes sure that I have something to eat at office parties (and I always bring it up first) and my bosses know to call me before ordering in so I do have something to eat.

Good luck!

[jennyj]

I agree with those who call it a poison. I do not cheat and will never do it. I just had about 18 inches of damaged intestines removed and recovery is miserable. I do not want to go through this ever again and I will not do anything to make it happen. Please be careful.

[par18]

Won't be any consolation to you, but it's NEVER happened to me. Although I take more calculated chances than I used to, I've never in nearly six years cheated in the way you've described (I took a sip of non-gluten-free beer one time).

richard

Same here . Never done that or been tempted. Sorry about the pun but if you do that you are a "gluten" for punishment..

Tom

[DawnS]

I hope you don't get a major reaction!

But just because you don't this time, doesn't mean much for later. Last year after being about 6 mos gluten/dairy free (right after dx) I went out of the country where I didn't have any choice about what I was served to eat. So I ate everything...with no reaction. The cravings started back for those things and I was ok, so I totally abandoned my gluten-free/df diet. BAD IDEA. It was just downhill for the next couple months until back into depression, anxiety, and constant pain. It hurt to even put my feet on the floor in the morning. After 3 mos being gluten-free again it still does hurt to get up in the morning sometimes.

Barring some miracle, we're not just going to be healed of this. So one ingestion of gluten that doesn't go wrong doesn't indicate that you have been! Don't beat yourself up over it because today is over, but please learn from those of us that have messed up similarly and spare yourself the pain :-)

[MTK]

okay, i just lost it and ate 3 huge slices of regular pizza at work. it started with picking the toppings off, then the cheese, then i just LOST it. does this happen to anyone else??? it also happened to me the other day when we had cupcakes at work-- couldn't resist the frosting, before i knew it was binging on the whole lot............

help?

[MTK]

Hi Pinky,

First of all I think you should do your best to cook the foods that you want using gluten free items, therefore you don't feel like you are being deprived.

Second of all when you are around foods that you get tempted with, WALK AWAY( at least until you are strong enough to resist). Don't lead yourself into temptation...

[NoGluGirl]

Dear DawnS,

I agree that all you can do is start over. You should not be critical of yourself. It does no good. All you can do is look forward. Dwelling on the past serves no purpose. Another thing to keep in mind is, gluten is addictive. People who are Celiac or gluten intolerant typically crave it while they are consuming it. The cravings go away once you have not eaten it for a while.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Guest Doll]

People here gave you some very good advice and a virtual slap. I am also in the eat-gluten-and-die boat. I have never intentionally cheated. I went 100% gluten-free the first day I got my official dx. I was also on the way to the grave at that point.

All I can say is that I respect those people who are asymptomatic Celiacs and/or don't have severe symptoms. Having severe symptoms *does* make it easier to avoid temptation. But if you have Celiac Disease, you are still damaging you inestines, as NoGluGirl pointed out.

While I do sometimes miss the taste of "normal" food (moist bread, moist cake, Ritz crackers, real beer, etc.), I have never had the urge to actually go eat it. Even when there is a donut or some other goodie in front of me. I am always in full control of what I put in my mouth, and I think you should be to. Each person on this planet has to be, if they don't want to become obese, a Type 2 diabetic, etc. For Celiacs, the risks are even greater on top of that. Is cancer really worth a donut? I just don't believe that people have no control over their actions. If that is the case, everyone would be robbing banks. Accept responsibility, change your response, and move on.

My fav meal is spinach salad with feta, red onions, and Kraft Raspberry dressing. Lemon Dill salmon and baked potato slices with olive oil as a main course. Broccoli and peas are my favorite veggies. I also like eggs with salsa (Tostitos) and corn cakes with all natural peanut butter as a snack. Or a can of tuna with mustard and lemon pepper.

Anyone can eat like this, but you have to *chose* to want to keep yourself healthy. No one else will.

Hope you don't get sick!

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Doll,

That salad sounds great! I might just have to treat myself to some of that this week! All of the other stuff sounds terrific, too! My philosophy is, no one should have to go without comfort food! My main sweet fixes are cookies and chocolate. I already had my own recipes for cookies and biscotti, because I love to bake and cook. I had to rework them a bit for the gluten-free, but those chocolate chip cookies were so good, they put me in euphoria!

I think many people feel great dispair when they are first diagnosed with Celiac. All you can think about is what you cannot have anymore. Despite craving doughnuts, pies, and other things, I was so happy to have an answer to the unrelenting misery, that I decided to be glad about it. Thank God I found out now, instead of after I developed osteoporosis, intestinal cancer, or diabetes! It is not always easy to have a good attitude about it. You have your bad days with it, like when you resent everyone eating your favorite Chinese takeout in front of you, or when you must take ten times the effort as everyone else to cook your food because you have to share a kitchen. Another time you feel this way is when other people you live with make you sound like a hypochondriac and think one little crumb cannot possibly make you violently ill, which you know it does because that is what happened the last time you got glutened. Then there are the great days, when you can help new people find what they can eat they does not taste like cardboard, or is so bad that even your dog rejects it, and this is a creature who licks his butt! You know it must be nasty stuff when they refuse it!

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[Guest Doll]

Jin, I love your attitude! You rock! From what I understand, your family is not supportive of your diet. Is this correct? I feel bad that you have no one to lean on for support in your family, and that they undermine your efforts to be healthy.

Hope you like the salad! You can also add raspberries, red and green peppers, and sliced almonds. Yum! I like to experiment.

[imsohungry]

okay, i just lost it and ate 3 huge slices of regular pizza at work. it started with picking the toppings off, then the cheese, then i just LOST it. does this happen to anyone else??? it also happened to me the other day when we had cupcakes at work-- couldn't resist the frosting, before i knew it was binging on the whole lot............

help?

In your topic you asked, "why do I do this?" First of all, it's a habit and eating gluten is all most of us have known as "normal" our whole life. I'm sure that those people in "whatever-country" who eat chocolate covered grasshoppers would have a hard time giving them up...it's normal to their culture, and they crave them.

So, "why do I do this?" Products with gluten generally taste good, satisify our culturally influenced craving, and for some people these foods provide comfort.

Now, we must move forward. And, talking to others with Celiac, helps us establish our own community and redefine what is the "norm." As it turns out, being gluten-free doesn't mean you can't satisfy a craving...you just have to do it within new boundries.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It will get easier with time. -Julie

[NoGluGirl]

Jin, I love your attitude! You rock! From what I understand, your family is not supportive of your diet. Is this correct? I feel bad that you have no one to lean on for support in your family, and that they undermine your efforts to be healthy.

Hope you like the salad! You can also add raspberries, red and green peppers, and sliced almonds. Yum! I like to experiment.

Dear Doll,

Thank you for the compliments! My family is not supportive a lot of the time. You are right. I have the forum, and to me, that is family. Yes, I love how my parents tell me to go out and get a job when they are the ones preventing me from doing so. Then, the rest of the family who has no idea the stuff I dealt with even before Celiac think I am just a lazy, spoiled brat that gets everything handed to her. I am the only one who will clean the fridge out, do dishes, and a number of other things.

I am sure I will love the salad! Feta is a great cheese! Greek food is terrific! I need to do more playing around with that cuisine. All of those other foods sound like great additions to a salad! An ultimate Greek salad I like is spinach, sliced kalamatas, cucumber and tomato. Feta is the perfect cheese for it.

Before going gluten-free, O'Charley's had a Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad that was divine! I am trying to recreate it. You have chicken strips that are battered and crushed pecans are mixed in the batter. Then, they had dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, bleu cheese (I may have to skip that, due to my Candida not tolerating moldy foods, I am implementing the diet slowly), and a delicious orange dressing. I am working on a cookbook with a fellow member of this forum, and he wants me to do a cooking show. We will put it on YouTube where it is the most easily accessible. It will be called "Tastebud Adventures with NoGluGirl".

Sincerely,

Jin